Steve Jobs' Pancreatic Cancer: A Timeline

January 2011: Jobs announced that he would be taking medical leave, generating a new round of speculation about his health.

"At my request, the board of directors has granted me a medical leave of absence so I can focus on my health," Jobs said in a statement to the company. "I will continue as CEO and be involved in major strategic decisions for the company."

"I have always said that if there ever came a day when I could no longer meet my duties and expectations as Apple's CEO, I would be the first to let you know," Jobs said in an email to the company. "Unfortunately, that day has come."

Apple declined to comment on the current state of Jobs' health, although his cancer battle was in the forefront of the public consciousness.

On Oct. 5, Steve Jobs died. Doctors said the cause was likely a recurrence of his cancer.

Whether Jobs' legacy of living with cancer will be as remembered along with his visionary achievements in technology and business remains to be seen. But doctors believe that the way Jobs handled his cancer will most certainly leave a lasting impact on others living with a potentially deadly disease.

"I think that anytime any public figure battles cancer it definitely raises awareness," Pishvaian said. "It's not just the 100 patients a year who have this same type of cancer who are going to relate to him."

"The fact that he not only lived for seven years after his diagnosis, but was also amazingly productive and made so many contributions after this diagnosis, it's inspiring," Libutti said.